To Stew, or not to Stew?

So after getting some insight on making a stew, by not stewing (strange as it sounds), but instead by using a method called braising, I decided to make a stew, by stewing. Stay with me here.

I had some beef cubes in the freezer that I defrosted over night, and early this morning tossed them into my waiting and trusty crock pot. I then added the standard mirepoix, halved and quartered white mushrooms (washed please), pepper, basil, parsley, a carton of vegetable stock, and 2 large bay leaves. I put it on low at 7:00am I got home at 6:30pm, threw in half a bag (8oz or so) of plain old barley, let it cook on low for another 30 minutes, and consumed. Very simple, and very tasty might I add.

Did I mention I cut everything up the night before so in the morning all I had to do, was wake up, throw the ingredients in, turn the pot on, cover it, and go to work?